# Advice from you wiser gents (all of you)



## COYOTE JLR (Sep 21, 2009)

Howdy folks,

one week from yesterday will be my 21st birthday. I'm a tad excited. Usually, brithdays don't mean much to me, but now I will be able to pursue a pleasure that, til now, I've only had the chance to dabble in. 

Whiskey! Now, I'm looking for some advice from you folks as to what I should look into tracking down once I'm able. I'm planning on getting a couple of bottles. I'm not one for heavy drinking by any means, so I'd like to treat myself to a couple of decent (not too expensive) bottles that I'll savor for a while. One I know will be getting is a Glenmorangie 10 year, as that's been my favorite that I've been fortunate enough to try. I'd prefer to shop around in that price range. 

I've also tried and enjoyed Macallan 12, Makers Mark, and Makers 46, all of which I thought were plenty good, though not as good as the Glenmorangie I've had. I've also had The Glenlivet, which I thought was good and I wouldn't turn my nose up at it, but, for me, it wasn't as good as the others I've mentioned. 

Early Times and Jim Beam I've used for Mint Juleps and they are fine for that purpose. I'll probably end up getting a bottle of one of them unless someone has a better suggestion in that price range, though I'm not going to count that as one of the two bottles I'd like to get. I only mention it for reference purposes. 

I'm probably not going to go out and buy a bottle of something right away, but I was hoping y'all could look at what I've tried and enjoyed and point me in the direction of some others to sample. There are many out there and I'm a tad lost as to where to start. I don't care if it's Scotch, Irish, Bourbon or what have you. I'd just love to hear any suggestions y'all have, and if it was something you'd suggest to pair with a cigar, then that's a definite plus. 

Thanks folks and I hope this isn't too broad of a topic.


----------



## Scott W. (Jul 10, 2008)

Advice: Leave booze alone because;

#1: nothing positive comes of it
#2: If you start buying scotch, there will be less of it for me.

Happy Birthday 

If you want an everyday sipping whisky (single malt scotch whisky), try Speyside, McClellan or Tamdhu, All could be had for less than $25 per bottle.


----------



## Beer Alchemist (Aug 17, 2011)

Its your 21st, splurge and get something good. I have a preference for Laphroaig and Lagavulin (however, it seems Lagavulin has lost a little something); but, those are pretty heavy handid in the peaty briny goodness. I just opened a bottle of Jura 16 year that is pretty respectable, somewhere between a highlands sweatness and Islays smokiness. Do a little reading of reviews to guide you. Just be careful about being sucked into traps, older is not always better and more expensive is not always better. I'd rather have a JW black than JW blue when you factor price, just can't justify it. Yet, Bowmore 30 is bar none the best Scotch I have ever drank while Laphroaig 10 year is amazing in its own way too. 

In a way I envy you, there is a world of whisky to explore ahead of you...enjoy (and get a good job its an expensive drink .


----------



## COYOTE JLR (Sep 21, 2009)

scottw said:


> Advice: Leave booze alone because;
> 
> #1: nothing positive comes of it
> .


Ha ha ha. People told me the same about cigars, and they were right! It led me to meet all these ragamuffins on Puff! :loco:

And thank you for your suggestions! Anything that's not too pricey is well worth a try on my budget.



Beer Alchemist said:


> Its your 21st, splurge and get something good. I have a preference for Laphroaig and Lagavulin (however, it seems Lagavulin has lost a little something); but, those are pretty heavy handid in the peaty briny goodness. I just opened a bottle of Jura 16 year that is pretty respectable, somewhere between a highlands sweatness and Islays smokiness. Do a little reading of reviews to guide you. Just be careful about being sucked into traps, older is not always better and more expensive is not always better. I'd rather have a JW black than JW blue when you factor price, just can't justify it. Yet, Bowmore 30 is bar none the best Scotch I have ever drank while Laphroaig 10 year is amazing in its own way too.
> 
> In a way I envy you, there is a world of whisky to explore ahead of you...enjoy (and get a good job its an expensive drink .


Thanks for the suggestions  I'll see if I can track those down anywhere. Hmmm... when you say splurge, what kind of price range are you talking about? Ha ha ha. I consider spending $35 or $40 to be a decent splurge since I'm only working part time at the moment.


----------



## Beer Alchemist (Aug 17, 2011)

COYOTE JLR said:


> Thanks for the suggestions  I'll see if I can track those down anywhere. Hmmm... when you say splurge, what kind of price range are you talking about? Ha ha ha. I consider spending $35 or $40 to be a decent splurge since I'm only working part time at the moment.


Ah, that's good to know. You can get Laphraoig 10 for around 30 if your state is reasonable on the taxes (in WA its 55, but WA sucks for alcohol issues). However, as I said that is really intense so it might be a good idea to get a finger or two at a bar to try it first. I normally spend 50-80 a bottle, but I have the benefit of being a DINK (dual income no kids) and have been working my way up the pay scale for a decade...so, I know your pain. So for you its going to look at something more mainstream like you were talking about.


----------



## David_ESM (May 11, 2011)

Dude... Youre in washington. You have to buy a bottle of dryfly wheat whiskey. Distilled in spokane with only washington ingredients.


----------



## COYOTE JLR (Sep 21, 2009)

Beer Alchemist said:


> Ah, that's good to know. You can get Laphraoig 10 for around 30 if your state is reasonable on the taxes (in WA its 55, but WA sucks for alcohol issues). However, as I said that is really intense so it might be a good idea to get a finger or two at a bar to try it first. I normally spend 50-80 a bottle, but I have the benefit of being a DINK (dual income no kids) and have been working my way up the pay scale for a decade...so, I know your pain. So for you its going to look at something more mainstream like you were talking about.


I'll definitely give it a try. 

Maybe one day I'll be a DINK, but at the moment I'm a SISK (Single Income Still a Kid)



David_ESM said:


> Dude... Youre in washington. You have to buy a bottle of dryfly wheat whiskey. Distilled in spokane with only washington ingredients.


Grabbing something that is all Washington grown would certainly be pretty awesome!  I'll try and find that to try at the very least. Thank you for the heads up on that one. Does it get distributed around the state well?


----------



## fanman1 (Sep 6, 2010)

in your terms i am still in the dabbling stage so i havent tried much. but there is this little distillery in denver here called stranahans. its really tasty, its about 60 bucks for a bottle. now all i can tell you is that it is the best whiskey ive tried in my little expirince. if you can find some to try do it. but i definatly wouldent buy a bottl based off of my sugestion. and if you ever find yourself in denver visit the distillery and take a tour, also if you volunteer there for half a day on their bottleing line they will give you a bottle and feed you, which is a great deal in my book. check them out, its a fun little company.
Stranahans Colorado Whiskey


----------



## enigma (May 23, 2011)

Give basil hayden's a try, it's a small batch bourbon, quite tastey and not too pricey either.


----------



## JGD (Mar 2, 2009)

David_ESM said:


> Dude... Youre in washington. You have to buy a bottle of dryfly wheat whiskey. Distilled in spokane with only washington ingredients.


This. IMO Dryfly is best served neat - there is a hint of orange in the after taste that goes away as soon as you put an ice cube in it.

Also, have you tried any Irish whiskey? I am a huge fan of Jameson 12 year.


----------



## David_ESM (May 11, 2011)

COYOTE JLR said:


> Grabbing something that is all Washington grown would certainly be pretty awesome!  I'll try and find that to try at the very least. Thank you for the heads up on that one. Does it get distributed around the state well?


Trying to get it the last couple years has been harder then hell because it would sell out every week it was released, but they finally have a pretty good amount being released so it shouldn't be too hard to find. Just watch their website blog for releases and do a product search through the WA state liquor control board. It will show you exactly what stores are carrying it when they have stock.

It currently is in stock (in small amounts) in a couple dozen stores. So do a search.


----------



## Beer Alchemist (Aug 17, 2011)

I'll have to try the dry fly wheat...any cigar pairings to suggest? 

I have heard of Stranahans, but never seen it at the store. I might give my buddy a heads up as he brings me back stuff when business calls him to travel.


----------



## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

COYOTE JLR said:


> Howdy folks,
> 
> one week from yesterday will be my 21st birthday. I'm a tad excited. Usually, brithdays don't mean much to me, but now I will be able to pursue a pleasure that, til now, I've only had the chance to dabble in.
> 
> ...


You are talking about to different entities here!
Scotch is whiskey and Bourbon is Whiskey but never the twain shall meet!
I drank only Scotch for many years after a while it tasted like iodine to me!
When a friend introduced me to Bourbon all those flavors dancing around my palate!
I never looked back sort of like when i started smoking Cuban Cigars.
The point i am trying to make is single out what you like and go for it!
It's a hell of a ride!:bounce::high5::faint:


----------



## David_ESM (May 11, 2011)

I will gladly open up one of these limited bad boys for any of you Washington fellas that makes it to Spokane.


----------



## Beer Alchemist (Aug 17, 2011)

Oh man, thats a tempting...not 300 mile drive tempting, but tempting.


----------



## fivespdcat (Nov 16, 2010)

Basil Hayden's is definitely a good Bourbon, I also like 1792, it's cheaper but still pretty good. As for Scotch, my go to standards, i Glenfiddich 15, it's the same price as Macallan, but I find the Glenfiddich to have more pronounced flavors. To me Macallan 12 is, how do I say this, flat (I know, not trying to start a war, it's just my opinion). If you want to walk up the price ladder a bit, Aberlour Abunda'h is about 25% more than the Glenfiddich, but to me it's totally worth it!


----------



## COYOTE JLR (Sep 21, 2009)

JGD said:


> This. IMO Dryfly is best served neat - there is a hint of orange in the after taste that goes away as soon as you put an ice cube in it.
> 
> Also, have you tried any Irish whiskey? I am a huge fan of Jameson 12 year.


I haven't tried any Irish whisky, which is something I'm hoping to remedy here in the not too distant future. I've heard nothing, but good things about Jameson. Are there any other Irish whiskys I should try tracking down to try?



David_ESM said:


> Trying to get it the last couple years has been harder then hell because it would sell out every week it was released, but they finally have a pretty good amount being released so it shouldn't be too hard to find. Just watch their website blog for releases and do a product search through the WA state liquor control board. It will show you exactly what stores are carrying it when they have stock.
> 
> It currently is in stock (in small amounts) in a couple dozen stores. So do a search.


I had the darndest time searching for it through the control board. When I typed it in it would show me their vodka and gin, but the whiskey didn't show up. When I searched through the Whiskey-other-domestic category I was able to find it though. Unfortunately, there's nothing within an hour and a half drive of me. I'll try to hunt it down sometime though. Maybe next time I'm up in Seattle since there are a bunch of places that carry it up there.



TonyBrooklyn said:


> You are talking about to different entities here!
> Scotch is whiskey and Bourbon is Whiskey but never the twain shall meet!
> I drank only Scotch for many years after a while it tasted like iodine to me!
> When a friend introduced me to Bourbon all those flavors dancing around my palate!
> ...


 Thanks for the advice, Tony. I may get to that point eventually, but for the moment, I'm still very much exploring the different types of whiskey out there. I've enjoyed the scotches, kentuckys, bourbons, ryes, and canadians that I've tried. I've really not found one that I wouldn't drink mixed, at least, and I haven't had enough experience to say that one category fits my taste profile much better than the rest. They've all been a bit different and I've had an appreciation for all of those differences. I'm just trying to broaden my horizons by finding good, popular, selections from any type of whiskey. Hopefully narrow down what I prefer that way.


----------



## Oldmso54 (Jul 31, 2010)

Have to agree with Abe on the glenfiddich 15 - just finished up a bottle about a week ago and wasn't overly impressed. Cant comment on macallan ( but I will be giving it a try). Personally, I like Makers Mark and Jack Daniels makes a tripple refined brand called "Gentleman Jack") that's much lighter (in color and taste) and smoother than JD's. The only other bottle of scotch in my house is a gifted Johhny Walker (can't even remember if it's red or black?)


----------



## David_ESM (May 11, 2011)

COYOTE JLR said:


> I had the darndest time searching for it through the control board. When I typed it in it would show me their vodka and gin, but the whiskey didn't show up. When I searched through the Whiskey-other-domestic category I was able to find it though. Unfortunately, there's nothing within an hour and a half drive of me. I'll try to hunt it down sometime though. Maybe next time I'm up in Seattle since there are a bunch of places that carry it up there.


Go here: Brand Search

Type: Dry Fly

The bottom result is "Wheat Whisk"


----------



## Mr_mich (Sep 2, 2010)

I had a some Highland Park 15 for the first time this weekend and it blew my socks off. Probably some of the best scotch i have ever had (imho). I wouldn't get that expensive of a scotch as your first, but as you develop your pallet keep it in mind. 

Also Bushmills is another good Irish whisky.

I had a Bullet Bourbon Manhattan over the weekend aswell. I thought it was pretty good. Bullet bourbon is a bit sweet for me.


----------



## Mr_mich (Sep 2, 2010)

Oldmso54 said:


> Have to agree with Abe on the glenfiddich 15 - just finished up a bottle about a week ago and wasn't overly impressed. Cant comment on macallan ( but I will be giving it a try). Personally, I like Makers Mark and Jack Daniels makes a tripple refined brand called "Gentleman Jack") that's much lighter (in color and taste) and smoother than JD's. The only other bottle of scotch in my house is a gifted Johhny Walker (can't even remember if it's red or black?)


I hope it was Black, JW Red is bad, real bad.


----------



## COYOTE JLR (Sep 21, 2009)

David_ESM said:


> Go here: Brand Search
> 
> Type: Dry Fly
> 
> The bottom result is "Wheat Whisk"


Hmmm.... I tried that before and I tried it again just now, through multiple web browsers. When I type in Dry Fly, it brings up hundreds of different drinks and nowhere on there is Dry Fly Wheat Whisk listed.

Like I said though, I did manage to find it by going to the Whiskey-other-domestic category and just scrolling through there til I found it, but when I do the brand name search it gives me a whole ton of unrelated stuff. Very strange. And I didn't see any stores listed in the Olympia area that carried it, which is a shame. :help:


----------



## StogieNinja (Jul 29, 2009)

TonyBrooklyn said:


> You are talking about to different entities here!
> Scotch is whiskey and Bourbon is Whiskey but never the twain shall meet!


I'm going to say something blasphemous here.

If you want something smooth, interesting, and wonderful, try mixing a shot of each. Really. I never would have believed it, but it's goooood. I prefer single malts, and I prefer Scotch, but on occasion, when I want something super smooth.... that's the way to go!

On topic, personally, I'd say go for something memorable, but that you're familiar with. It's going to be more memorable if it's a top-notch experience you understand and can relate to.

So if you have lots of experience with one kind of alcohol, I'd recommend getting a top-notch bottle of that kind. You'll have an already-developed pallate for it, which will allow you to appreciate it more.

Just my two cents!

But if you're asking me what I'd buy, it'd be a bottle of Oban.


----------

